Tuiasosopo trying to stay fresh with limited chances

CHICAGO -- Matt Tuiasosopo entered Monday night's series opener against the White Sox having put up decent numbers off starter Chris Sale, going 4-for-11 with a home run this season. But with Nick Castellanos getting the start in left field, Tuiasosopo was the odd man out.

It marked the third consecutive game that Tuiasosopo did not start against a lefty. He last started last Tuesday against Red Sox southpaw Jon Lester, going 0-for-3 with three strikeouts. He's 8-for-41, all of the hits singles, with three walks and 17 strikeouts since Aug. 1, but two of the hits were singles off Sale on Aug. 12 in Chicago.

It's a conundrum the Tigers will face down the stretch. Both Tuiasosopo and Castellanos have played almost exclusively left field this season, so it's going to be difficult for the Tigers to give Castellanos a shot to prove himself while simultaneously giving Tuiasosopo a chance to work his way out of his slump.

Tuiasosopo said he hasn't been doing any different work than usual with hitting coach Lloyd McClendon. At this point, he's keeping his bat fresh for his next game.

The Tigers will face another lefty on Wednesday, when Jose Quintana takes the mound for the White Sox. They'll get a rematch with Royals left-hander Danny Duffy on Friday night at Comerica Park.